Rubber gaskets are known generally in window glazing and are generally prefabricated at a factory and incorporated into a glazing system on site. From a practical standpoint, a single gasket for an entire elevation of a high-rise building generally cannot be fabricated at an off-site location, then shipped and installed.
As a result, gaskets are generally incorporated into glazing systems in a piece-meal fashion. Seams between gaskets are generally sealed using a caulk, typically a butyl or silicone sealant. However, silicone sealants generally do not have exceptional adhesion to gasket material, and butyl sealants often lack longevity; consequently, such systems must be maintained and often replaced over the life of a building. Furthermore, such caulking operations can be messy, unsightly and prone to workman error.
Also, if a window is broken or otherwise needs to be replaced (such as due to desiccant exhaustion and subsequent humidity fogging), such a repair or replacement can be labor intensive and expensive where the gasket system has seams which are sealed using a silicone or butyl sealant.
Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high-rise gasket system which is substantially unitary upon final installation, so caulking or sealing between gasket seams is no longer necessary.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon further reading of this specification and accompanying claims.